Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today is February 14th, 2010…Valentine’s Day! On this day each year we show the ones we love most just how we feel about them by sending cards, candy and flowers. In today’s tech world we also send hearts and messages through our Social Pages…I know I sent mine yesterday and received quite a few, too!
No matter what you have planned for today, being with the one you love most is the truly important thing. Take the time to tell those important people just how much you care. Words and actions are still our most powerful means of communication and mean so much more when they come from the heart.
I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Valentine’s Day.

2010 Winter Olympics

The opening ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver begin tomorrow, Friday, February 12, 2010. The ice skating competitions, both individual and couples, have to be my favorite. Takes me back to when Peggy Fleming was America’s sweetheart. And of course the skiing events are always big on my list for excitement. And who can forget the snowboarding and luge events? Wonder what thrills we will see this time?
So you know where I will be…watching and rooting for America to bring home the Gold!!
Good Luck and Godspeed to all of the athletes who are competing. Remember, you are already champions just for making it this far.

SUPER SAINTS SUNDAY

Who Dat gonna beat my Saints?? It sure wasn’t the Colts!! 31-17!!
I have waited a L O N G time to see My Saints go to and Win a Super Bowl.
Party in the MIA and on Bourbon Street!! Geaux My Saints!!

My only question is…Does the interception made by the Saints count as
a Pass Completion for Manning??!!!! LOL (very LOUD)

Geaux Saints!!!

Super Bowl Sunday!!

Hello everyone. Getting ready for Super Bowl Sunday and just wanted to say, "GOOO SAINTS!!", "WHO DAT?", and of course "PARTY IN THE MIA"!!
I am a born and bred New Orleans Saints fan from way back when and am so proud of my Home Team!! Wish I could be in MIA, but will console myself with watching with my new home theater system...Thanks Santa!!
Once again...Go Saints!!

Using Short Sales to Buy Foreclosed Property

Finding great deals is one of the biggest issues real estate investors face. There are thousands of deals available if you know where to find them and how to secure them. In today’s economy, most homeowners actually owe more on the property than what it is worth causing some investors to walk away from these deals because they do not know about Short Sales.
The Short Sale concept is simple: convince the bank to sell for less than what is owed as payment in full. In other words, buy at a discount, re-sell the property, and make money, but how? The key to finding investment-worthy properties is to act quickly and do your research. Don’t wait for some subscription service to send you a list. Go to your local courthouse if that is where notices are filed and be the first one there. Check with local title companies or bankruptcy attorneys to see if they offer these services if you don’t have a company that publishes notices of default.
Once you have discovered a property, mail your first letter of approach to the homeowner immediately. By placing ads in your local papers in the real estate or credit section of the classifieds will help generate leads by finding homeowners who want to avoid costly credit penalties involved with foreclosures.
Be careful not to get caught up in the excitement of a prospective short sale profit. You must remember that this is a very stressful time for the homeowner and you can’t get anywhere without their cooperation, trust, and confidence. Work with the homeowner and help them realize that this is the right option for them by emphasizing the benefits of working with you. Help them to understand that once your contract is signed and the bank accepts it, they will be free to move on with their life.
Once the homeowner has signed your contract it’s time to contact the Loss Mitigation Department of the bank where the foreclosed property is held. By explaining that you are trying to help the homeowner with his foreclosure and are willing to buy the property from him, but due to the condition of the property, declining values, etc., you are only willing to pay X amount, the negotiations begin. Try to be firm but polite so they will see you as someone who is minimizing the damage-and hassle-of the bad debt. Larger banks are easier to deal with when working with Short Sales and foreclosures because they have more resources, experience, and loans.
Great deals in real estate are out there and you don’t have to be a pro to make money on Short Sales. By remembering to do your research, market your services, and treat both the homeowners and lenders with respect, you can make a win-win situation for everyone.

How To Buy Your Real Estate Investment Below Real Value With Pre-Foreclosures and Short Sales

Some of the best and most profitable real estate investments are accomplished by buying below real value. There are many ways to obtain a property below value. And, remember: not only are you helping yourself get a good deal, you will also be helping the homeowner out of a difficult situation.
Two of the best situations in which to make this happen are the pre-foreclosure and short sale deals. But to make these deals work, you need to have all your ducks lined up in a row; there are things you have to know before you make an offer.
Whether or not a property will be a good pre-foreclosure or short sale investment will not be immediately apparent when you first look at a property. Something to consider is that you may not have the luxury of an extended timeline as with an outright sale.
Many times the homeowner is already behind in payments and the mortgage lender has already begun foreclosure proceedings. This means you will usually be on a tight deadline. It's very important that you keep your timeline in mind when preparing an offer.
Certain things like title checks and inspections must be done. You must estimate the costs of any repairs that need to be done and determine whether the property will still be beneficial for you to own or "flip" after repairs and remodeling. You'll need to get a Comparative Market Analysis and determine the Capitalization Rate, to assess net rental income, if you're planning to rent the property. Depending on how far along the foreclosure process is, you may not have enough time to get everything done and help the homeowner before the bank forecloses.
Still, there hasn't been a better time in history to work with pre-foreclosures and short sales. Foreclosures are at an all time high. Mortgage lenders are desperate to reduce their inventory of real estate. Lenders are in the business of loaning money. They do not wish to be owners of real estate. They'll leave that to you.
Becoming a successful real estate investor will take many hours of your time, but remember: Investing in real estate has created great fortunes and successful retirements for many men and women.
And now, I'd like to invite you to find all the step-by-step details about how to evaluate potential pre-foreclosure and short sale properties, make the necessary calculations, and prepare required documents in "Real Estate Investing."
Claim your copy today at http://CarlylePublishing.com and get instant access to everything you need to become a successful real estate investor.
I'm Henry Behrens, real estate investor and author of "Real Estate Investing."
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_W._Behrens

Researching Foreclosure Homes For Sale

You must do your due diligence in plenty of research on foreclosure homes for sale before you go out and secure a loan and make a purchase. Research will ensure that you make a good decision and you do not purchase something that you will regret later.
Investors need to research foreclosure homes for sale because they need to make an investment. They need to be sure the home doesn't require thousands of dollars of repairs that will cause the investment to be much higher than market value and be impossible to sell the home at a price that would make a profit. When an investor doesn't do the proper research they often make mistakes because the home needs to much work or even work that is not approved by the local planning and zoning commission. Not only would you be stuck with a lemon but you wouldn't be able to flip it for any profit at all.
New homeowners much research foreclosure homes for sale because they need to be sure they are getting a good deal. The best way to research homes is to compare the local area home sales with the sale's price of the home you are looking at. Compare homes that are currently up for sale in the same area also. The goal is to find a home with a much lower price. This will ensure the price is a good deal. Things you need to compare include number of bedrooms, square footage, etc.
Homeowners also have to research foreclosure homes for sale because they are going to be living in them. It would be a travesty to purchase a foreclosure that is termite infested and needs to be entirely demolished because the termites have completely destroyed the structure of the home. You would still be responsible for the loan on the home and possibly homeless too.
Researching foreclosure homes for sale is a must. Don't act on the first notice in the public notices of a home that is in default. It is very common for homeowners to be late on a payment or two and this notification to go in the paper. You don't want to act on buying a home that is not really in foreclosure. Wait for the date of the auction to be set or wait for the home to not sell at the auction. Always research the condition of the house and if you can be sure to have an inspection done on the home by professionals that will give you a fair value and tell you about all of the repairs that need to be done.
Search foreclosure homes by state or get more information on foreclosure homes for sale at ForeclosureRepos.com
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Kevin Simpson, GM Sales & Marketing
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Simpson